Many bed and breakfasts are situated upon a fairly large piece of land. Unlike the majority of hotels, you are surrounded by the serenity and peacefulness of nature. Because of this, bed and breakfasts that allow pets are great vacation choices. You won’t have to drive around town looking for a dog park or place to play: it will be right outside your window, beckoning you and your pet.

Like hotels, bed and breakfasts vary on how much they cater to animals. Some have everything your pooch could ever dream of, while others simply allow your pet to accompany you. Most bed and breakfasts are themed and many are design specifically for dog lovers. There are some things you can expect from a dog-catering bed and breakfast, but each inn is unique.

In the rooms, you can expect crates and special dog bedding. The rooms are made for the presence of your pet, so you do not have to worry about laying out blankets on top of the furniture or puppy-proofing the room. In addition to the bedding, food and water bowls are provided. You should still have these things packed, anyway; they are necessary when traveling to your location. Treats are specialties of most bed and breakfasts. Many lodges offer special dog menus and gourmet treats made fresh by professional chefs. Bags to clean up after your pet are also provided by the inn. You need to make sure you clean up after your pet anywhere you go on of off the property. This will help keep the area pet friendly!

The opportunities outside the room are endless. If you are staying on a large piece of property, then you can count on numerous walking trails and leash-less play areas. There are also ponds on the property for your dog to cool off and play in the water. If your pooch gets dirty while playing, there are dog washing stations or groomers on site. If you are looking for some pet-less time, then you can bet on day care facilities, sitters, and dog walkers. Some lodges even offer obedience training while you are there. What a great place to bond with your pooch!

These are just a few amenities that pet-friendly bed and breakfasts might offer. As with any lodging arrangement, call directly before you go. The inn may have breed restrictions or weight limits. If they are designed to accompany pets and their owners, then they may not allow you to leave the dog alone in the room. They may also require that you bring certain items along. Never forget the leash! You will need it on the car ride and once you get to the lodge. The innkeepers can provide suggestions on places around town that also cater to dogs, so you can explore the area outside of the inn. If you are looking for a place to start your travel plans, the lookup pet-friendly cities. There are cities and towns across the country that welcome dogs in shops and restaurants. You are sure to find great bed and breakfasts in such a location.

Bed and breakfasts can provide a relaxing atmosphere that other travel accommodations cannot. You may be situated upon acres of land where you can hike, bike, and explore with your pooch. Each inn offers unique pet accommodations, including swimming ponds and obedience classes. No matter what activity you partake in, be a responsible owner and always clean up after your pooch. Check with the innkeepers to find activities outside of the inn for you and your dog. Never forget the leash when you go on vacation, so you can see the sights of the rest of the countryside while you are there!

It’s getting easier. Years ago, it was difficult to locate a pet-friendly hotel. You would have to choose your destination, find all the hotels in the area, and call them one by one to determine which ones allowed pets. With the tremendous popularity of the Internet, it is now much easier to locate a place to stay. More and more people are beginning to travel with their pooches, making many hotel chains reconsider their pet policies. It is also fairly easy to locate hotel reviews from past guests. Reviews can be helpful in determining which hotels are actually “pet friendly.” Now, the “I can’t find a good place to stay” excuse is no longer a valid one.

It can help ease behavior problems. Does your dog flip out when you leave your home? Has your veterinarian mentioned the possibility of separation anxiety? If the answer is yes, then leaving him behind while you go on vacation may only add to his anxiety issues. Even if he stays with a friend or at a kennel, the lack of attention from you may cause his behavior problems to worsen. When you take him with you, then he will get the love and attention that he craves.

Vacationing can be a good opportunity to help treat separation anxiety. You may leave him for short periods of time (to go shopping or out to dinner), while he is confined to a crate (most hotel policies requiring crating your pet when you are not present). By returning within a couple of hours, you are working on reducing his anxiety, proving to him that you are not leaving for good. Don’t forget to reward him for his good behavior!

It can be a relief from the weather. Whether you live in a hot or cold area, you know how tired you get of the weather. Maybe you go to the beach for a warm relief from the cold, or visit Alaska to cool of from the heat. Have you ever considered that the weather affects your dog, too? Look at him. Is he curled up next to the air conditioner or lying under blankets on your bed? Your pooch deserves a long getaway to keep him happy and content.

It’s a great bonding experience. Your pet will greatly appreciate the opportunity to travel with you and the family. Traveling to a different area is a whole new world for your pet. Consider your vacation as a time to bond with your pet. Take him for long walks, so he can absorb all the new sights and smells. If he is interested in something along the walk, give him a chance to check it out. Play with him often, and use your time together to teach him new tricks.

You are taking a companion. If you are traveling alone, then you may want to take along your dog for the camaraderie. He can be someone to talk to on the way to your destination and someone to play with once you get there. If solo traveling is the case, then consider traveling to a pet-friendly city. Many cities offer multiple accommodations for pets and their owners, including numerous parks and restaurants where the two of you can go together. He is your friend at home, so why can’t he be your friend on the road?

No matter the reason for your getaway, you should always consider taking along your pet. There are thousands of hotels across the United States that offer pet accommodations. Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to locate a place to stay. You can work on behavior issues, while giving your pooch a relief from the weather. Traveling always presents a great opportunity for a bonding experience with your four-legged friend!

Do reward your dog. Oh the power of positive reinforcement! Your dog will learn early on to associate certain behaviors. For instance, rewarding him for learning a new trick will make him more likely to perform the trick in the future. Be careful, though. Rewarding your dog does not always involve treats. Training with treats can be effective, but you must look out for the health of your dog. Rewarding can include throwing Frisbee or taking your dog on a play date. Dogs love to be around you and others; food doesn’t always have to be a reward.

Do be consistent. Dogs learn from consistent behavior. If you have chosen a certain command to stop your dog from barking, then always use that command. Saying “stop” one day and “be quiet” the next only confuses your dog and hinders the training.

Do use your dog’s personality to your advantage. If your dog is aggressive, then he may require a more aggressive approach. Loud and stern commands are just one example. If your dog is shy and timid, then he may require a more calm approach with tons of positive reinforcement. Always take your dog’s personality into consideration when choosing a training method.

Don’t focus on correction. If your dog is digging holes and chewing up the furniture, then it should be obvious that training should have started earlier. With a young dog (or older ones), you can focus on prevention instead of correction. Teach him things not to do before he makes a habit of out doing those things.

Don’t get angry. This is probably one of the most frequent and most common pieces of advice you will ever receive. Getting angry with your pet will only scare him and possibly damage your relationship. As mentioned earlier, pets learn better with positive reinforcement because of the pleasant associations they make with the behavior. If your dog is rewarded instead of punished, then his learning will be improved and develop more quickly.

Don’t give up. Giving up is another reaction that can damage the relationship between you and your dog. Some dogs take longer to learn, but this does not mean that they are incapable. If one method does not work, then try another method. Still, remain consistent in your commands and your rewards. If you have tried everything with no results, then consider enrolling your dog in obedience classes. Professional training may be your best option.

Don’t expect too much too quick. Dogs are intelligent creatures that enjoy learning new things. However, a well-trained dog will not result overnight. Training takes time, patience, and continuous work. As you start to see small changes in your dog, then you should feel like your efforts are worthwhile. It may take time, but training will help your pooch learn desired behaviors.

There are a variety of training methods. You should take your dog’s personality and your available time into consideration before you choose the one that is right for you. With all training techniques, there are a few similar guidelines. It is easiest to start training a dog early, but older dogs can learn, too. Consistency and positive reinforcement are two main factors in training. No matter what you do, don’t give up! There are ways that your dog will learn; you just have to discover them.

If you are housebreaking a puppy, then you have probably heard a million times the importance of keeping a routine. Puppies learn by routine, and any change in schedule may have negative effects on your training efforts.

So, what happens when you have to go on a business trip or out of town for an extended period of time and can’t take your pooch? Training may be setback upon your return, but there are things you can do to minimize your losses.

Interrupting obedience training is not such a big deal. Most of the time, your pet can pick up on things pretty quickly. However, training a puppy can be a completely different monster to tackle. You’ve probably already noticed that even an hour difference in the schedule can make a huge difference on behavior. It’s important that your pup maintains a schedule whether you are home or away.

A few weeks before you leave for your trip (or as soon as you find out about the leave), start planning. You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to try to find a solution to your training dilemma. First decide where your pooch will be staying while you are gone. Are you going to leave him at a kennel, have a pet sitter stop by, or send him to a friend’s house? You should figure out his lodging arrangements early on so that you can adjust his schedule accordingly. If you decide to leave him at a kennel, then contact the kennel and find out what type of schedules they follow. Some places will adhere to a routine created by you, while others use basic shifts. If the kennel does not follow a schedule (i.e., whenever the employee feels like going outside the dogs go outside, too), then try to find one that does. If you plan on hiring a pet sitter, then make arrangements early. Have the sitter commit to specific times of the day when he or she will take care of your pet. If your puppy will stay with a friend, then make note of the friend’s schedule, too: what time does he leave for work? What time does he return home?

Now, depending on which lodging preference you choose, you must adjust your own schedule. Your entire life doesn’t have to flip upside down, but you should transition to the “travel schedule” about two weeks prior to your departure. For instance, if the kennel, sitter, or friend will feed your dog three times a day at specific times each day, then start feeding your dog three times at those times. If the kennel, sitter, or friend plans on taking the dog out for exercise at 7 p.m., then you should try to do the same. It may not be a practical schedule, but it will help your puppy stay on track.

If you find out about your trip at the last minute, then you are in a completely different situation. You have no time to alter your pup’s schedule. If able, try to find a pet sitting or kennel service that will cater to your needs. In some cases, you can provide a specific schedule and the service will follow. Even a kennel that follows a meal and exercise schedule will help your efforts. If something like that is out of the question, then your training may experience a few setbacks. It’s nothing that can’t be undone; it will just take time when you return.

Before you send your pooch off to a new, strange place, make sure he is comfortable. If possible, send him with his own crate. Try to include anything that helps with the training. Familiar objects will help keep him on track.

When you return from your trip, you should slowly ease back into your schedule. Changing things completely the first day, will only reverse the efforts you made while you were away. Let your pup adjust back to the original routine.

An important rule in housebreaking involves keeping a set routine. But, what happens if you have to leave town for a while and can’t keep the schedule? When you find out where your dog is staying, then allow around two weeks prior to his stay to get him ready for the new schedule. When you return, there will be some slippage in training, but your previous efforts won’t be discarded.

Normally, bloat affects dogs of larger breeds. Sometimes, though, smaller dogs can be affected. The breeds that experience bloat are often described as being deep-chested. Breeds that have been known to experience bloat include the Afghan, German Shepherd, Irish Setter, Saint Bernard, and the Doberman Pincher.

Bloat occurs when the stomach fills with air, hence the word dilatation. The term volvulus means the stomach has twisted longitudinally. The twisting occurs after the stomach has filled with air. Once the twisting occurs, nothing is able to escape from the stomach, including gas and food. The stomach continues to fill with gas, interrupting circulation. This leads to several life-threatening problems such as decreased blood flow to and from the heart and a cut off blood supply to the spleen. Without receiving an adequate amount of blood, the cells in the stomach begin to die. Since the food cannot be removed from the stomach, toxins from the food begin to build in the stomach. If not taken care of immediately, the dog can experience heart failure and die.

Bloat can cause intense abdominal pain, so if your dog is pacing the floor and seems to be experiencing pain, then this could be a sign of bloat. Often, the enlarged stomach will cause the abdomen to swell; you may be able to see or feel this. Other signs include retching or attempting to vomit or defecate with no success. Excessive drooling is also a sign of bloat.

If you suspect that your dog is suffering, then you need to take him to an emergency veterinarian immediately. Have someone call for you to alert the center of your arrival. Once there, the vet will perform tests to make sure that bloat is actually occurring. Your vet may puncture the stomach to release the air or insert a stomach tube to remove the contents. If these methods are unsuccessful or if the stomach is twisted, then your dog will have to undergo surgery. The stomach will be placed back into a normal position. Your vet may also give you the option of gastropexy –anchoring down the stomach. Gastropexy is a way to keep the stomach in place to prevent a future twist. Once the problem has been taken care of, then your dog may have to stay in the center for a few days. There, he will be monitored while he heals. The procedures for bloat can be fairly expensive, so be prepared for a big veterinarian bill.

The causes of bloat are still unknown, but there are a couple of theories. Many point to the fact that large dogs often gulp their food. While gulping, large amounts of air are also taken into the stomach. If after eating the dog partakes in strenuous exercise, then the stomach may flip. Other theories suggest that the problem is hereditary, since it is found in certain breeds.

If you have a breed that is susceptible to the bloat or if your pooch has experienced dilatation, then you may want to take preventative measures before a problem arises. Many owners decide to take their pooches in for a gastropexy before the stomach has a chance to flip. Although the hereditary aspect has not been proven, it is a good idea not to breed dogs that have bloat problems. Other preventative measures include food and water intake. Some veterinarians suggest feeding your pet two (instead of one) meals per day, and have him wait at least an hour after consumption before participating in vigorous exercise.

Bloat is a canine emergency. If left untreated, your dog will not live through the problem. For this reason, it is important that you are able to recognize the signs and symptoms of bloat. If your pooch is experiencing these symptoms, then you should get him to an emergency veterinarian immediately. You vet may be able to relieve the problem without surgery, but surgery is often needed. Talk to your veterinarian about ways to prevent future bloating problems.

One seizure does not qualify as epilepsy; instead, the word epilepsy refers to repeated or continuous seizures. There are two types of epilepsy. Primary, or idiopathic, epilepsy is when the cause of the seizures is unidentifiable. This simply means that the disease is inherited or that a cause cannot be determined. Primary epilepsy is often apparent between the ages of one and three. Since the cause of the seizures cannot be identified, the seizures are normally not stopped. Instead, medication is used to treat the occurrence of the seizure. Secondary, or symptomatic, epilepsy is when there is an identifiable cause, such as a brain tumor. The development of epilepsy will depend upon the development of the cause. In cases such as a brain tumor, the cause of the epilepsy is targeted and sometimes the epilepsy can be cured. Medication is also used in the treatment of symptomatic epilepsy.

Before epilepsy can be properly diagnosed, it is important that you are able to identify and describe an “episode” that your pet may have. Try to write down what happened, so that you can remember the details. Your description combined with different tests can help your vet determine if your pet is suffering from epilepsy. Descriptions are also important because seizures can often be confused with other health problems. For example, a severe ear infection could cause your pet to wobble or fall.
Typically, a seizure will consist of three stages. Before a seizure, you pet will show a change in behavior. If your pet suddenly seems to be nervous, anxious, or “not himself,” then this can be a signal of the first phase of the seizure, the prodrome. The next phase is the actual seizure. Your pet may throw back his head, stiffen his muscles, and shake violently. The loss of muscle control can lead to uncontrollable urination, defecation, or vocal expression. Although he may appear to be awake, he is actually unconscious. Immediately following the seizure your pet may be disoriented. He may not move for a few minutes or he may pace restlessly around the house. Sometimes, dogs become excessively hungry or thirsty after experiencing a seizure.

The treatment of epilepsy is normally a lifelong process, and the seizures may never stop completely. Medication is used to lessen the severity and frequency of the seizures. Finding a medication that is right for your pooch may take some time. Every dog reacts differently to certain drugs and dosages. For this reason, you need to be patient in your treatment efforts; there is no ‘miracle drug’ for all canines. Following your veterinarian’s instructions on how and when to give the medication is also important for the drug to achieve maximum effectiveness. If you feel that you need to stop the medication, talk to your veterinarian. Suddenly stopping epilepsy medications can cause serious side effects. Your vet will instruct you on how to slowly eliminate the prescription and begin new treatment.

A dog with epilepsy is able to live a normal, happy life. With the exception of maintaining a treatment plan and a possible change in diet, epileptic pets are no different from completely healthy pets. They still require, and are able to participate in, a daily exercise program. They can play and run around just like any other pet!

Epilepsy is a complicated health problem that is sometimes hard to understand. A one-time seizure is not considered epilepsy; instead, a pet is considered epileptic when he has reoccurring seizures. On the most basic level, there are two types of epilepsy. Both types cause a three-stage seizure. Epilepsy can be treated with medication, and it normally requires a lifelong treatment plan. If you have an epileptic pet, then don’t baby him; he can do the same things that a non-epileptic pet can do!